- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Chatham, on the Medway with a naval past
Close to 23% of Chatham people are aged 15 at most, above the South East share, so lots of local mums and dads are in the same boat.
60,700+
residents across five Chatham wards, from Chatham Central to Walderslade (Census 2021, ONS)
23%
of people in these Chatham wards are children aged up to 15; South East: 19% (ONS, 2021)
9%
of Chatham homes are single parents raising dependent children; region: 6% (Census 2021)
Chatham runs on the Great Lines
Great Lines parkrun on the heritage park above the town is an energising way to make friends in Chatham, each Saturday morning with the Naval Memorial nearby. Fort Amherst’s Georgian grounds are open all year without charge and have a café, and Sun Pier House by the river runs an arts space with studios and a gallery. Gofrendly helps Chatham women meet nearby.
Chatham, from the dockyard to the Lines
Is Fort Amherst in Chatham free to visit?
The grounds of Fort Amherst, a Georgian fort in Chatham, cost nothing to enter and stay open all year, with a café run by the Fort Amherst Heritage Trust. Guided tunnel tours are charged, so the grounds make the better choice for a casual meet-up.
Where is Great Lines parkrun?
Great Lines parkrun takes place in Great Lines Heritage Park on Brompton Road, on the ridge between Chatham and Gillingham, every Saturday at 9am. The park is a Green Flag site for 2026, and Chatham parents can bring a buggy and walk the course.
Is the Historic Dockyard Chatham open in winter?
The Historic Dockyard Chatham closes for winter from 16 November 2026 until February 2027, apart from special Christmas dates. Adult annual tickets cost £29 online, so it is best planned as a spring day out together with a Chatham friend.
How can single parents in Chatham make friends?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, helps single parents in Chatham see which women live around them and get in contact before meeting. A buggy walk across the Great Lines or a play date at Capstone Farm Country Park is an easy start.
Chatham, a dockyard town of families
Chatham grew around the Royal Dockyard, which closed in 1984, and the Great Lines defences above the town were begun in 1755. In five wards, close to 23% of people are children up to 15 and over 9% of households are single parents raising dependent children, both above South East levels. With so many young families, friendships can grow around school, nursery and the playground rather than the pub or the office.
Caring for children on your own leaves little time for yourself and can feel lonely. Great Lines Heritage Park and Capstone Farm Country Park, with its lakes and trails, are both 2026 Green Flag winners. The Central Theatre on the High Street seats 966, while the Brook Theatre is closed for refurbishment until about spring 2028. You can ask at Chatham Library in the Community Hub on Dock Road about its book club, and Victoria Gardens has a Victorian bandstand. To start:
1
Great Lines Heritage Park and the Chatham Naval Memorial.
2
Fort Amherst, with free grounds and a café.
3
Capstone Farm Country Park, with meadows, lakes and trails.
4
Sun Pier House on Medway Street, with a riverside gallery.
5
Victoria Gardens on Fort Pitt Hill, with its bandstand.
LOCAL TIP
Take a picnic up to the Great Lines and invite another parent.
How to
Chatham: friendship ideas for busy parents
1
Walk Great Lines parkrun with a buggy on Saturday morning.
2
Explore the Fort Amherst grounds and stop at the café.
3
Meet Chatham mums from Gofrendly at Capstone Farm Country Park.
4
Ask at the Community Hub about the library book club.
How one friendship began, and another formed in midlife
Chatham: credits
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja and our editors created the Chatham page for Medway women who are raising children alone, juggling family life or new to the dockyard town.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
Find women near you
See who’s nearby and say hi — it’s free to start.